Myocardial Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I Gene Expression During Recovery From Heart Failure After Combined Left Ventricular Assist Device and Clenbuterol Therapy

BACKGROUND: Patients who undergo mechanical support with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) exhibit reverse remodeling and in some cases recover from heart failure. We have developed a combination therapy using LVAD support combined with pharmacological therapy to maximize reverse remodeling, followed by the beta2 adrenergic agonist clenbuterol. We recently found that clenbuterol induces insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in cardiac myocytes in vitro. The purpose of this study is to examine IGF-I expression in recovery patients after combination therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS: Myocardial mRNA levels were determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 12 recovery patients (at LVAD implantation, explantation, and 1 year after explantation). IGF-I mRNA was elevated at the time of LVAD explantation relative to donors, with 2 groups distinguishable: Those with low IGF-I mRNA at implantation who showed significant increase during recovery and those with high IGF-I mRNA at implantation who remained high. Levels returned to normal by 1 year after explantation. Microarray analysis of implantation and explantation samples of recovery patients further revealed elevated IGF-II and IGF binding proteins IGFBP4 and IGFBP6. IGF-I levels correlated with stromal cell-derived factor mRNA measured both in LVAD patients and in a wider cohort of heart failure patients. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest involvement of elevated myocardial IGF-I mRNA in recovery. IGF-I may act to limit atrophy and apoptosis during reverse remodeling and to promote repair and regeneration in concert with stromal cell derived factor.